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Message: <blockquote data-quote="StreamOfTheSky" data-source="post: 4255175" data-attributes="member: 35909">First off...wasting a feat on Tower Shield Proficiency is a bad choice.  Not only is it not worth a feat, it actually lowers your attack bonus, it's so awkward to use.  One thing I've learned in general about tank builds: Unless you have a way to actually, 100% guaranteed force a foe to fight you and not go mage-hunting, you CANNOT ignore your damage output.  Part of being a good tank is being too fearsome to ignore.As for "taunting," Goad is one option.  It's kinda weak because you can only do it on people you threaten, it costs a Move action, and they still aren't really barred from moving away to attack someone else.  Best case scenario is: every round, you use Goad, they ALWAYS fail the will save, and you end up trading one attack against teir full attack round after round.  And that's the best case scenario.  See why I called it weak?If you want to actually physically keep people from leaving you, your best options are...other classes.  The specific term for this is "lockdown."  If you go to the char optimization boards at wotc's website (under "gleemax"), they have some threads on this.  The two best classes for this are Crusader (with Iron Guard's Glare and/or Thicket of Blades stance, ShieldBlock/Counter maneuvers are also nice) from Tome of Battle, and (in a distant second) the Knight from the Player's Handbook 2, because his Bulwark of Defense class feature (with reach weapon and armor spikes) lets a medium human make all 10 ft around him difficult terrain.  This means enemies can't move away from you safely with 5 ft steps, and makes tumbling harder.  They also get swift action abilities with long range to make foes seek them out.If you want to stay in Paladin, you're going to have to rely on feats and maybe spells.  On that note, what books are allowed?  Spell Compendium has a lot of useful things.  One spell in particular, Knight's Move, lets you teleport as a swift action next to an enemy, if it'd put you into a flanking position.  Expaanded Psionics Handbook as a general feat (as in, don't need to be psionic to take it) called Stand Still.  It lets you on an attack of opportunity, instead of actually dealing damage, make the damage roll a save DC.  If they fail, they are stopped from moving!  Complete Champion has a feat (name?) that lets you cast all standard action paladin spells as a swift action, which is...handy for any build.  If you insist on Combat Expertise, also get Improved Trip, so that you can use your AoO to trip them, and thus stop them.  Whatever you do, having a reach weapon and Combat Reflexes is always useful.If you're willing to multiclass into sorcerer/wizard (better as sorcerer), or even take Use Magic Device ranks, there's alot of nice low level spells in Spell Compendium.  Benign Transposition is level 1, no save or SR (ie, great on a wand).  It lets two willing allies teleport, swapping places.  Obvious tactical useage there.  Mindless Rage, level 2, is the ULTIMATE tanking spell.  If they fail a will save, they have to attack you and it has to be melee attacks, if at all possible.  No ranged attacks, spells, magic devices, or anything else allowed.  At all.  Side note: Also fun for a flying caster, after laying down nasty things like Spiked Stones to play a game of "catch the balloon!"</blockquote>

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